Use it, plant it! – DIY Seed Wrapping Paper

With the holidays just around the corner, I am reminded of this fun and easy project that not only re-uses left over tissue paper from past holidays but acts as a gift itself. Several years ago I came across seed wrapping paper in the store and thought it was an incredibly awesome concept. It is essentially recycled paper that has been embedded with seeds and can be planted in the garden after use, instead of discarded in a landfill.

I was just about to buy some too, until I saw the price tag. It was far more than I was willing to spend for a bit of wrapping paper. So I went home and I began messing around with different ways to make my own seeded paper. This project is easy and inexpensive – requiring about 20 minutes of time and a few common household items. I like to use left over tissue paper and wildflower seeds from my garden. By pressing two sheets of tissue paper together, and binding it with homemade cornstarch glue, the paper became thicker yet still pliable, and is perfect for wrapping gifts.

Of course, this technique is not limited to just wrapping paper – you can use it to make cards, bookmarks, and gift tags as well. The fun part is, after the paper is used it can be planted in the garden, as it naturally decomposes! Enjoy!